How Long Did Your Parents Live?

IN YOUR DAILY DOSE: today is research examining the correlation between how long your parents lived and how long you can expect to live and your risks for cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

MAKING CHANGES: While you can’t make changes to impact the health of your parents, you can make significant changes to impact your own health and longevity. Here are five to get you started.

FACT OR FICTION: Alcohol can ruin lives, and even those under 21 are drinking too much. Here are some facts to curl your toes.

In The News

Researchers from the University of Exeter have found that the longer your parents lived, the longer you’re likely to live. The study, funded by the Medical Research Council, involved over 190,000 participants from the U.K.

Researchers found that your chances of living past age 70 increased by 17 percent for every decade your parents lived past age 70. The risk of death from heart attack was 20 percent lower for every decade past 70 your parents lived. Those in the study whose parents lived the longest had a reduced risk of cancer.

4. Exercise at least 30 minutes each day and keep moving throughout the day. If your boss won’t let you get up, get an under-the-desk cycle so you can pedal as you work.

5. Find a way you enjoy to reduce stress - yoga, exercise, friendships, meditation, music, dancing, Emotional Freedom Techniques and your faith are all methods people successfully have used to reduce stress levels.

Daily Affirmation

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How often do I miss deadlines that I set for myself?

2. What can I do to correct a situation after missing a predefined deadline?

3. When is it unreasonable to set timelines for myself?

Fact or Fiction?

Alcohol

Drinking is a part of many people’s lives. Sometimes you may even drink too much. Unfortunately, even children under 21 are drinking too much, 5,000 of which are dying each year from alcohol related causes. It impairs your judgement, leading to unintended sexual encounters, drinking and driving, violence and other dangerous activities. In 2014 87 percent said they had alcohol at one time or another in their life, 71 percent had something to drink in the past year and 56.8 percent drank within the last month.